PrintEasy Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Lemon Feta Dressing
Create a fresh, high-protein Mediterranean lentil salad perfect for quick lunches, meal prep, or light dinners. This recipe uses simple steps to deliver big flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop and Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed
- 3 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for cooking
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (omit for vegan)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- For the Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine the rinsed lentils and water or broth in a medium saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until lentils are tender but not mushy. Drain any excess liquid and let the lentils cool slightly.
- While the lentils cook, prepare the vegetables. Chop the cucumber, halve the tomatoes, finely chop the red onion, and chop the parsley. Set aside.
- Prepare the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, pepper, and salt until well combined.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled lentils, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and parsley.
- Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the lentil and vegetable mixture. Toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- If using, gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese.
- Taste the salad and adjust salt or pepper if needed. You can serve this immediately or chill it for later. This salad is great for meal planning.
Notes
- For a vegan option, simply omit the feta cheese. The lemon dressing provides enough tang.
- If you are looking for alternatives to cooking from scratch, consider using a meal planning service to organize your week.
- This salad tastes better after chilling for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- For a different flavor profile, try adding roasted sweet potato cubes or shredded carrots.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 14
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 15
- Protein: 18
- Cholesterol: 15